


Step

by orphan_account



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Omega Stiles Stilinski, Protective Derek, Shy Derek Hale, Stiles is Derek's Anchor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-04-06 23:06:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4240077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Stiles presents as an Omega a lot sooner than he should, and Derek is the most adorable Alpha in northern California.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Step

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic on AO3, so excuse any formatting mistakes. I'll do my best to fix them :)
> 
> I've never tried to post a fic that wasn't already complete and all I have for this one is an outline, so let's see where this goes.

Stiles always knew in the back of his mind that he’d be an Omega. Ever since he was a little boy he’d had all of the telltale personality traits: sensitive, tactile, always seeking attention and praise. His suspicion was all but confirmed when he didn’t present in middle school with all of his friends. Omegas very seldom presented before their eighteenth birthday, while Alphas and Betas do so in the midst of puberty. It’s not unheard of for weaker Betas not to present until adulthood, though, so he figured nothing was certain.

They’re all wolves from birth, of course, but presenting is what signifies that their wolves have matured, and the transition is considered one of the most important time in any young wolf’s life. Their senses are even stronger, they have more control over the shift, and perhaps most importantly, they can achieve a full shift. It also triggers mating hormones, which are different depending on which group they fall under.

While Stiles’ friends were gossipping excitedly about who presented and when, Stiles was doing ample research on Omegas. By the time he enters high school, he mostly knows what to expect. He knows that Omega presentations are notably more intense than those of Alphas or Betas, and they happen much less gradually. He also knows that he’s unlikely to even be awake during the moment when he presents; it almost always happens overnight for Omegas because it’s their bodies’ instinct to save as much energy as possible.

This, coupled with the fact that he’s only sixteen, is why he’s surprised when he presents in the middle of a crowded school hallway. 

He’s been feeling strange all day, discomfort lodged in the pit of his stomach. He’s more restless than usual, completely unable to sit still in any of his classes. He was getting distracted by the smallest things: someone clicking a pen, his desk chair squeaking. He figures it’s just stress making him jittery, though, and he trudges through his day with the promise of a long nap later.

Right after fourth period, though, things take a turn for the worse. He’s walking to lunch with Scott, listening to the Alpha chatter aimlessly about the bike he was saving up for, when he feels a sharp pain behind his eyes. He stops walking and sucks in a breath, feeling his arms go slack around the stack of books he’s holding.

He’s suddenly very aware of his surroundings, and he can hear the murmurs and whispers of everyone around him. He can also hear Scott say his name. He tries to focus his eyes, and he sees Scott walking towards him, concerned, before reeling back with a hand over his nose and mouth.

He vaguely registers Scott when he says “Stiles? We need to get you out of here,” and he feels a tug in his chest at the suggestion.

“Yeah, okay,” he replies easily, letting himself be pulled. There’s a warm hand in his own, and he squeezes. He doesn’t remember Scott smelling this good before. In fact, he actively remembers Scott smelling like Doritos and cheap aftershave just two hours ago. 

When they stop inside the nurse’s office, he finds himself crowding into his best friend’s space and inhaling deeply. The nurse stops talking mid-sentence, not like he was listening to her anyways.

“Dude, stop, you’re going to be so embarrassed about this later,” Scott says, a blush rising up his cheeks.

“Scotty, y’smell… really good,” he says, pressing his nose into his friend’s shoulder. 

“Alright buddy, just lie down for a while, okay?”

Stiles is so, totally okay with that plan. He sits on the side of the bed obediently when he’s pushed towards it, and then he flops onto his back. He wants to ask Scott to stay, but he can’t find the words, and he’s asleep within seconds.

***

He doesn’t know how long he’s out for, but when he comes to he feels like he could sleep for a thousand more years. He can hear his dad’s voice, though, and he doesn’t think twice before rolling to his feet and hobbling over to the reception desk on shaky legs. He’s jittery and scared, and being alone feels like the worst thing in the entire world. No amount of online research could have prepared him for the real thing.

“Daddy?” he hears himself say, too shaken up to be embarrassed over the nickname and how meek his voice sounds.

The sheriff turns to face him, eyes softening.

“Hey kid. Rough day, huh?” Stiles nods. He feels his eyes welling up with tears, and he’s too wrung out to even try and fight them. His father rubs his hands up and down his arms before bringing him in for a hug.

“Hey, it’s alright. We can head home now, unless you feel like a trip to the hospital is necessary,” he says, the second part directed towards the nurse.

“No, I wanna go home,” he interjects.

The sheriff doesn’t waste any time. After being cleared by the nurse, he herds his son out of the office with a comforting hand between his shoulder blades. Stiles’ face burns as people turn to look at him, whispering to their friends excitedly. He’s now one of only about twenty Omegas at Beacon Hills High, and while the attention makes his wolf preen, he’s still nervous about his inevitable new popularity. He knows not everyone is so thrilled with Omegas, and he knows that some people are a little _too_ thrilled with them.

The car ride home is quiet. Stiles is still hiccuping, but his nerves have settled for the most part. He feels like he’s been rubbed raw, and he just wants to cling to his dad and never let go. His father looks over at him worriedly at every stoplight, but stays quiet.

When they arrive home, the Sheriff kicks off his shoes and sits down on the couch, patting the spot next to him. Stiles doesn’t have to be told twice, hurrying over so he can lie down with his head in his father’s lap. Now that he’s in familiar territory with his dad’s fingers running through his hair, his wolf settles. He yawns. 

“I’m so proud of you, Stiles. I know your mom would be too. We always knew you were special,” he says. Stiles smiles and curls his hand over his father’s knee as a silent thank you. He’s too exhausted to think of a fitting reply, but he already feels himself drifting, so he doesn’t have to.

***

After Stiles wakes from his nap, the doorbell begins ringing every few minutes. Each time it’s a different Alpha classmate of his, proudly providing him with a gift from their household. It’s nearly impossible for an unmated Alpha to resist gifting something to a new Omega, and Stiles’ wolf is giddy with all the attention. He’s almost completely forgotten how terrible he felt only hours before. 

Food is the most traditional present, but there are of course people who take it a step further. Most of them are fine; Lydia got him a navy blue dress shirt, and Jackson got him a fancy sports watch. Some of the older unmated Alphas try more aggressively to get his attention, though, and he can’t say he’s comfortable with it. Flowers are rarely given as gifts unless the recipient is being courted, and he’s got three big bouquets sitting outside his front door. Even high on hormones, he knows better than to accept them. 

Scott comes by with his mom, of course, bearing a container of vegetable soup and the newest World of Warcraft expansion. They can’t stay long, unfortunately, with Scott’s dad being back in town, but Scott swears up and down that he’ll be back to visit tomorrow with all of his homework for the week. 

They skirt around the topic of Stiles’ hormone-addled cuddle session earlier in the day. At least Scott had the control not to jump the first Omega to get all up in his space. He leaves Stiles with a chest-constricting hug, rubbing his chin into the top of his friend’s head.

“I always knew, you know. You’re gonna be the most popular Omega in Beacon Hills,” Scott says after releasing him.

“Thanks man,” he says, “but I think that might have something to do with presenting in the worst possible place.”

“Nah, it’s cause you’re so pretty and clever,” Scott replies, immediately blushing after realizing what he said. 

“And we’re going to pretend I never said that. Damn you and your pheromones,” he says, jokingly waggling a finger in his face. He gives his best friend one last hug before slipping through the door. Stiles wants to chase after him, but he has enough restraint at this point to let him go. 

As it grows darker outside, the amount of visitors to the Stilinski house begins to wane. Stiles’ wolf is content, surrounded by the scent of his family and gifts from every Alpha in town. He sifts through the baked goods laid out on the coffee table in an almost trance-like state, picking off pieces of pumpkin bread and making quiet, happy noises at the feeling of being provided for. 

“Enjoying yourself?” the sheriff asks. He’s been sitting at the other side of the table under the guise of doing paperwork, but Stiles suspected that he just wanted to keep an eye on him. 

“Mhmm,” Stiles replies, mouth still full.

“Well, you need to be getting to bed soon. You need to rest up if you’re going to pull off a full shift by the end of the week,” he says with a smile.

“I’ll sleep soon, I promise,” he replies.

“Alright, good night kiddo. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Stiles waits until his father steps into the hallway before he stands, popping the last piece of bread into his mouth and chewing happily. He feels good. It’s very possible that he’s never felt better. A lot of people with more traditional views would be ashamed of presenting as an Omega, but Stiles never understood that mindset. 

Sure, Alphas and Betas are more physically powerful, but Omegas are the brains. They lead the pack alongside their mate, and they make sure everything runs smoothly, and they have sharper senses to help detect threats and keep their packs safe. They’re just as important as anyone else. 

Just as Stiles is about to head to bed for a much-needed rest, the doorbell rings again. He gets another flash of excitement at the prospect of some Alpha attention, and he all but prances to the door. His father had been the one to accept all of his previous gifts, not wanting to expose his son to so many new Alphas when he had only just presented, but seeing just one visitor today couldn’t hurt.

When he opens the door, however, he’s not expecting to be greeted by Laura Hale holding a basket of tangerines. 

Laura is a Beta from the biggest pack in Beacon Hills. She graduated from Beacon Hills High last year, but her brother Derek is a senior, and Cora is a sophomore like himself. He smiles through his confusion and steps aside to let her in.

“Hi Stiles, I’m here on behalf of my brother. You’ll have to excuse him for not coming himself, he’s horribly shy. He did pick these for you himself, though. We have a tree in our yard, so they’re fresh,” she says, handing over the basket. 

“Thanks,” he says awkwardly, not really sure what to make of the gift. “I can make you coffee or something, if you want to stay a while.” He secretly hopes she’ll refuse so he can get some sleep, but he has _manners_ and he’s an _adult_ now.

“No thanks, I have to be getting home. You should be getting rest, anyways,” she says with a knowing smile. He lets out a long breath.

“You’re right, it’s been a long day,” he says. “Tell Derek I said thank you for the fruit.”

“Oh, I will. Sorry again for his rudeness, I really did try to convince him to come,” she says, looking disappointed.

“It’s really no problem, he’s always seemed shy. I get it.” It’s not a lie. Derek may be the captain of the basketball team, but he’s never seen the guy at parties or school events, and he always sits alone at lunch. Stiles couldn’t picture him standing at his door and presenting him with a transition gift if he tried.

“You’re a good kid, Stilinski,” she says. “And between you and me, Derek seemed pretty smitten with you when he got home. Even googled good foods for transitioning Omegas. Vitamin C will keep the fatigue at bay,” she continues with a wink.

Stiles feels himself preen at the knowledge that he’s gotten under an Alpha’s skin, and at the amount of thought that went into the gift. Even if he couldn’t deliver it himself, at least the intent was there.

“I’ll leave you to it then,” Laura says, no doubt seeing Stiles’ expression start to glaze over. She pats him twice on the shoulder and then lets herself out, and when left alone, Stiles’ exhaustion comes back full force.

He slowly makes his way up the stairs, attempting to undress while still walking towards his bed and mostly just tripping all over himself. He eventually situates himself under his duvet, nuzzling his face into his pillow. His skin is so sensitive now, and the soft fabric feels incredible. He also makes a mental note to wash his sheets, wrinkling his nose at the smell of sweat and his own spunk. Gross.

He’s still processing everything, but he thinks he’s handing all of this well. He’s nervous to start classes again, but he’s sure Scott, Lydia, and Jackson will ward off any unwanted attention. He lucked out, he thinks, by having so many great Alpha friends. He doens't want to think about what might have happened if Scott hadn't been around when he presented today. Going down that road just isn't a good idea.

He can’t quite get Derek out of his mind, either. Maybe it’s just because it’s the only gift he personally accepted from someone he wasn’t friends with, but he’s thrilled at the thought of him. The excitement pools in his stomach at the prospect of seeing him around campus, and he suddenly can’t wait to go back to school.

And if the last thing he thinks of before drifting off is Derek’s cute glasses and nice arms, nobody has to know.


End file.
